Security device



May 9, 1961 p, FALK 2,983,132

SECURITY DEVICE Filed April 22, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENT MYRON P. LK

BY WM 5%,

ATTORNEY M. P. FALK SECURITY DEVICE May 9, 1961 Filed Ap ri1 22. 1959 2.Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTDR MYRON P. FALK hw/ ATTORNEY FIG] FIG.6

United States Patent-- SECURITY DEVICE Filed Apr. 22, 1959, Ser. No.808,165

2 Claims. (CI. 70-49) This invention relates to a security device 'andmore particularly to a portable locking mechanism adapted to 2,983,132Patented May 9, 1961 hub 16 a distance somewhat less than the diameterof the ball links B, but greater than the diameter of the cylindricallinking portions L between the balls B.

The rotatable plug 11 is provided with a generally rectangularlycross-sectioned drive bar 19 which extends through the aperture 20formed in the hub 16 of the casing 12. An end plate 21, of substantiallycircular configuration, is 'eccentrically provided with a rectangularslot; 22, substantially conforming with the rectangular cross-section ofthe drive bar 19. A pair of shoulders 23 and 24 on the drive bar overlayportions of the end plate 21 surrounding the slot 22, thereby preventingendwise prevent theft or removal of normally portable items.

Still more particularly, this invention relates to a chain lockingdevice whereby a loop orbight formed of the chain may be locked into thechain and, thereby, articles encompased within the loop or light may beassured against separation.

Portable removable articles such as skis, lawnmowers, bicycles or thelike are often left out of doors for short periods of time and thusbecome easy articles for thefts. It is an object of this invention toprovidea locking deremoval of the end plate 21 from the said drive bar.

' In the embodiment depicted in Figures 1 to 3, one end B of the chain Cis secured to the drive bar 19. A convenient means of atfixing the endof the chain to the drive bar is illustrated in Figure 1, wherein theend part of the bar 19 is bifurcated by forming the same with the slotat 25, such slot serving to receive a link portion L of the chain, theends 26, 27 of the bifurcated bar, after insertion of the chain, beingbent inwardly to prevent removal of the chain and welded, as illustratedat 28, to assure a vice for a chain whereby such chain may be encircledabout the object to be protected, and about a stationary object, therebyeffectively securing the portable object to the stationary object andpreventing the theft thereof.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a. portable chainlocking device which is extremely economical to produce and which may beused without alteration to protect a wide variety of articles againsttheft.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a locking deviceof the class described whereby a plurality of loops or bights may beformed of the chain, thereby permitting the locking or securing of aplurality of articles, with the same locking mechanism at the same time.

To attainthese objects and such further objects as may appear herein orbe hereinafter pointed out, reference is made to the drawings, forming apart hereof, in which:

Figure l is a magnified vertical section through a locking device inaccordance with the invention;

L'Figure 2 is an end elevationalview of the device in the chainreleasing position thereof;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing the chain in the lockedposition thereof;

Figure 4 is a view similar to the views of Figures 2 and 3 of anembodiment of the invention;

Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of thisinvention;

Figure 6 is a section taken on the line 66 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is an end elevation, partly in phantom, of the embodiment ofFigure 5 in the unlocked position;

Figure 8 is a view similar to that of Figure 7 but in the lockedposition.

In accordance with the invention, a locking assembly 10 which is, in theillustrated embodiments, of the disk tumbler type but which may be,without variation from the spirit of the invention, of any known type,such as the pin tumbler type, is provided with a key rotatable plug 11,secured within an armoured housing 12. The plug, in the usual manner,provides an exposed keyway 13, wherein may be inserted the operating key14.

At the end 15 of the casing 12 opposed to the keyway end 13, there isprovided a cylindrical hub 16 extending beyond the end 15 a distanceslightly in excess of the diameter of the ball link portions B of thechain C. The end 15 of the casing is formed, in addition, with a toothedmember 17 of generally pyramidal form, the apex 18 of the tooth beingspaced from the outer periphery of the serted orientation, therelatively narrow link portion L will lie between the apex of the tooth17 and the hub, 18 and 16, respectively, and a. pair of ball linkportions B will lie one to each side of the tooth 17. It will be readilyrecognized that in the thus inserted position of the chain,

movement of the chain aong its length is prevented by the drive bar 19to the position shown in Figure 3 where,-

in the chain portion-imprisoned between the tooth 17 and h'ub'16 willliebeneath the end plate, thereby preventing endwise as well as sidewiseremoval of the chain from the casmg.

As will be obvious from Figure 3, any article A imprisoned within theloop or bight of the chain defined by the fixed end B and the portionconfined between the tooth 17 and hub 16 cannot be moved except withinthe limits provided by the length of chain forming the bight or loop. Ifa stationary object, such as a tree or stanchion, is included withinthis loop, the article can be removed from the tree or stanchion only byoperating the key plug 11 by means of the proper key 14, therebyswinging the end plate 21 to the position shown-in Figure 2.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 4, a central hub 16' and a pair oftoothed members 17' are provided on the end surface 15' of the casing12'. In this embodiment; the end plate 21 is provided with -a pair ofopposed wings 30, 31, which wings, in the locked position of the plug,occupy the dotted line position shown in Figure 4, thereby overlying thespace between the teeth 17 and the hub 16. In this embodiment, permanentfastening of the chain to any portion of the lock assembly is notnecessary since a lock, bight or loop or chain will be formed betweenthe portions of the chain imprisoned between the teeth 17' and the hub16 in the locked position of the plug. If it is desired to provide aplurality of locked loops or bights of chain, one end of such chain maybe permanently secured or fastened to the casing 12', in which case afirst locked loop or bight will be defined between the mate relation ,tothe central hub in the manner illustrated in Figure 4 and by providingthe end cap with a plurality of wings to match the number of teethprovided. I

In the embodiment of Figures 5 to 8, an end E? of the chain C" ispermanently afiixed to the assembly The end "v of the casing 12" isprovide'd,.ir1 addition to the central hub 16" having teeth 16d and 16b,with a pair of inwardly directed opposing toothed members 17a and 17b,spacedabout 120 apart aboutthe periphery of the casing. The casing end-1 5" is provided, in addi tion, with an upstanding stop member SS whichextends from the end 15" a distance greater than the toothed portions17:: and 17b. p

In this embodiment, the end plate 21" is secured to the drive bar 19" bystaking or otherwise, and presents an angular segment somewhat greaterthan the angle \of separation of the'teeth 17a and 17b;

As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the end platen" is secured to the bar '19"in a manner to overlie tooth 17a in both the opened and closedpositions'of the lock (the end E" being inserted between tooth 17a andhub tooth 16a prior to staking the plate 21" to the said bar 19"). Thestop or abutment member 35 blocks end plate 21' from opening far enoughto release end E". As in the prior embodiments, the chain C" may belooped about the objects to be locked and inserted while the end plate21" is in the position shown in Figure 7, between the tooth 17b and thehub tooth 16b, whereupon the end plate 21" may be shifted to theposition of Figure 8 by rotating the key. V

The heretofore described chain locking device provides a versatile andportable means for preventing theft of a wide variety of articles. Thelength of chainsupplied with the device may be varied commensurate withthe size of the article to be secured and the availability of trees,stanchions and like substantially immovable'objects. The theft ofportable articles may be discouraged even Having thus described theinvention and illustrated its use, what is claimed as new and is desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A chain locking devicecomprising a generally cylindrical housing, akey plug rotatably mounted in said housing with the key receiving end ofsaid plug extending to one side of said housing :and a connector barextending beyond the other side, a chain member secured to said housing,said chain member including ball links and wire links, a bosson saidother side of said housing surrounding said connector bar, a toothmember formed on said other side of saidhousing, said tooth memberhaving an apex portion directed toward said boss and spaced therefrom adistance greater than the width of said wire links and less than thewidth of said ball links, and an end plate carried by said connectorbar, said plate, in the locked position of said plug, overlying saideboss and toothed where no stanchion is available by connecting togethera plurality of such articles by the device, thereby renderingtransportation of the connected articles inconvenient or suspicious inappearance. I a

member.

2. A chain locking device comprising a'gene'rally cylin drical housing,a key'plug rotatably mounted in said housing with the key receiving endof said plug extending to one side of said housing and 'a-connector barextending beyond the other side of said housing, a boss on said otherside of said housing surrounding said connector bar, first and secondtooth members formed on said other side of said housing, each of saidtooth members having an apex portion directed toward said boss andspaced therefrom, an end plate carried" by said connector bar androtatable therewith, said end plate, in the locked position of saidplug, overlying both said toothed members, 'a stop member extending fromsaid other-side of said housing in the path of rotation of said plate,said plate, when rotated against said stop member, overlying said firsttooth mem her but not said second tooth member,- and a chain com prisingball links and wire links disposed between said first toothed member andsaid boss, with; one said ball link to either side of said first toothmember.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,390,402 J Vincent Sept 13, 1921 1,689,437 Hurd ocean, 1928 1,814,356Wise July 14, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS 812,771

